“We talk later,” he demands. “Or now, with everyone listening.”“Go to hell,” I say. It worked before, but not this time.His voice soft, he asks, “Aren’t we already there, Q?”

“Everyone takes the picture of the kid with the birthday cake on his face," he said once. "Wait for the unexpected. That's the magic.”

“I wonder how much shame people can hold before they ignite.”

“We are the Island of Misfit Toys, all broken or smashed in some way.”

“These days will be a shitty reminder of a time when we weren't the best versions of ourselves.”

“Those big reunions where everyone apologises and the family lives happily ever after? They're bullshit. The truth is, some apologies never see the light of day.”

“His laugh sands the rough edge inside me, and I smile.”